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Post by kaz on Nov 2, 2021 21:42:37 GMT
As the night came, so too did Mara’s fears, unabetted by the new wonders about her, unavoidable. She shouldn’t have been surprised, yet somehow she was every sundown when old worries gnawed at her like termites on a tree, wearing her down until nothing would be left but the skeleton of a girl once so bright and full of life. Every night she became lesser, every morning reborn with the promise of the day. Like a flower retreating into itself, and those dark recesses that one would rather not explore if given the chance. Then come the sun she was whole again. A perplexing routine, and wholly unenjoyable.
And so the restless she-wolf had given up on slumber, instead picking her way along the edges of the countryside in the darkness. Even the moon seemed to wish not to see her, only rarely poking its face out from behind a heavy layer of clouds, suffocating beneath them, perhaps. Mara was not a wolf prone to such sadness typically, but after leaving her home those months ago it seemed she and tonight’s moon had something in common: night fell and suddenly she too was weighed down by heavy clouds not of rain but of doubt and guilt.
It hadn’t begun that way, her journey. At first she had felt so light and free: the bluebird was relinquished of her chains and cage and allowed to fly. She’d seen all manor of things that she’d never before, things unheard of in her homeland. She’d seen the ocean, in its terrible, inexorable greatness, like some great god punished to live upon the earth forevermore, raking its anger upon the shores in fits of tremendous, foamy waves. She’d felt that way once. The wolf had stopped and stared for a very long time, taking it in, feeling the fury of it beneath her paws and out into eternity. She knew how it felt to be trapped, but not to lash out, to thrash against the bounds of ones confines.
But then she had known it. She had fled, escaped to the better life she knew was beyond her home and her family and Raja and all else who had her pinned down and preened her and assembled her like some tidy little doll ready to do their bidding. She was free! Until the weight of it all crushed against her chest and she felt heavier than ever before and sleep was an impossibility at night and it felt more taxing to try and escape this feeling than living with her responsibilities had felt before.
Surely these feelings would abate with time. She had to believe that or it was all she could do not to curl up here in the dirt and rot here.
Mara stepped gingerly as if not wanting to leave any trace of her passing, to disturb the earth below or else to become aware of the effects she would always have on the world however much she fought against it. To her left, wide open plains, revealing; they made her feel all too vulnerable tonight. She did not want to be seen. The dark forest to her right offered more coverage but not much more comfort, with its canopy of sharp, angry branches curling over head and beneath her like the mouth of some creature waiting to bite into her. She walked the line between the two areas, occasionally dipping further into the forest or the plains but never wandering far from the border. Her eyes to the sky, she was hardly aware of her surroundings, instead studying the clouds where they were illuminated, watching their forms ebb and flow and change shape entirely. Perhaps this is why, when her foreleg became entangled in a nasty vine, the girl almost didn’t notice. And perhaps her continuing on unaware was what caused her paw to become so badly twisted up in it that she humiliatingly fell right onto her face, her tangled leg pulled back behind her at an awkward and somewhat painful angle. She cried out in surprise and pain and then, realizing the hopelessness of her present situation, and of her new life which had held such promise before, she began to weep quietly in both frustration and self-pity.
The moon stayed hidden behind the clouds.
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Post by Molo on Nov 24, 2021 1:36:44 GMT
--hopefully you don't mind if I jump in this
The white Knight did not often venture too far beyond his mountainous home anymore, something he’d once done with a bit more frequency months ago. Back when he’d first arrived here, and hadn’t known much about the land, or even his pack, at the time. With time, though, that had changed. He had connections now, keeping him here. The Vertok, with his many acquaintances and a few friends, but also with the land now, too. And while the mountains, with their many hills, caves, and valleys would never be quite like his birthplace, it did feel like home, now. And that was good.
Yet, that did not stop Hawk from reminiscing, especially as he calmly wandered the plains that so closely resembled the land surrounding his birthplace. He hadn’t planned it - what had started as a simple urge to stretch his legs earlier that evening had ended up bringing him here, but he was glad it had. The ghost did not try to disguise himself as he moved, for even the darkest of nights couldn’t veil him visually. But he did move quietly and with a fair bit of poise, not wishing to rouse any others in the area, that might be sleeping.
The sight of this place brought back an abundance of memories, almost all of them pleasant. He could recall playing and exploring with his sisters on nights like this, or on some of the clearer ones, reclining with his father while his sire had regaled him with stories, or recollections of all the places he’d seen.
So stunningly similar to his home was this area, that he could almost imagine the figures of his siblings and family members cresting the next gentle slope to come and greet him. That was a dream Hawk refused to give up on entirely. Maybe some day, they would find him. And he could know for sure then, that were all still alive and well. The thought of it brought a contented smile to his countenance.
The expression was not to last, however, as the sudden and distinct sound of a cry of pain and distress echoed to his ears from somewhere not too far away, off toward the area where the plains began to give way to forested terrain. At that, the Vertok Knight was set on edge. Although he hadn’t the faintest idea what he might find, or if it was any of his business, it was not in his blood to ignore such a cry - no matter the potential risks to himself. Hawk moved forth with much greater haste than before, turning his ears forth to listen. While no subsequent cries followed the first, the ghost maintained his quick pace until he had approached the tree line.
There, he would slow his speed to nearly a halt, looking and listening with bated breath, for anything else. To his surprise, there was another noise to be had. As Hawk gingerly stepped forth to seek it, the nature of the sound became more apparent. It sounded like soft sobs. Distressed, possibly pained cries. And as the lightly colored form of another came into view, the white Knight was pretty sure he could see why.
One of the young woman’s forelimbs had become tangled up in a rather nasty looking vine, causing her to fall into a rather awkward, vulnerable, and uncomfortable looking position. This time, at least, he expected he’d have an easier time helping the unfortunate girl out of the tangle, than he’d had with Maxem. Her situation didn’t look any less painful however, prompting action on his part. Immediately Hawk shifted his approach so that he’d be in full view of the other, not wishing for his approach to be interpreted as threatening or predatory. The ghost lowered his head as he neared the other, seeking to make eye contact with the female while fixing what he hoped was an assuring expression upon his face.
”Miss, I’m here to help you. It’s going to be alright,” the ghost spoke softly. Certainly not how he preferred to begin a conversation, but he didn’t intend to waste time with pleasantries and leave the girl in that position longer than necessary. Hoping he wouldn’t get snapped at for it, or tangled up himself, the Knight gingerly stepped around to the girl’s side, to begin tentatively tugging at the vine that had ensnared her, seeking to unwind it from her awkwardly bent limb.
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Post by kaz on Jan 1, 2022 0:03:39 GMT
i'm sorry for the late response! i didn't see this until recently and have been kind of on a hiatus haha. happy to be writing with you though ^^ still getting back into the swing of things so excuse the roughness
She floated there in that deep well of sadness and suffering for a time, feeling the edges of herself blur into it, feeling herself become shapeless. If not for the pain in her leg when she moved jolting her back in between the lines of her form, she may have diminished entirely, blending into her sorrow as seamlessly as day falls into night. A monstrous overreaction but the young girl had never felt a sadness so great before, and could do nothing more than hopelessly and unyieldingly give into it and the unpleasant comfort it provided.
But a voice broke her from her reverie. “Miss,” it said. “I’m here to help you. It’s going to be alright.” For a short moment in her daze Mara thought it might be one of her gods speaking to her. Perhaps the Mother come to save her from her ensnarement and her guilt, erase her past mistakes as she had done for the Daughter in the old tales. The idea vanished as quickly as it had come. You are such a fool, she thought to herself and stifled another sob. Such a damned fool.
The girl looked up now at the source of the voice and was struck with shock that speared her through her belly and rendered her unable to speak for a moment. Through the cloud of tears in her eyes, the wolf before her almost appeared to be… Well, no, that would be an impossible coincidence. Very impossible indeed. She blinked thoroughly to clear her vision, staring up at the man with a face that must have looked so pitiful and helpless and completely unbecoming to a woman of her status. Previous status. “Okay,” she whimpered. She moved her entangled leg again without meaning to and cried out.
The stranger wasted no time and began to work at the fiendish plant trapping her, an effort that was not entirely painless. Necessary nonetheless. She wouldn’t have been able to reach it in the position she had fallen in, and if not for the wolf helping her now she may have been stuck here for a lot longer. She ought to be grateful for that much. Soon, the pressure on her foreleg began to ease and eventually disappear altogether, and she was free. Mara pushed herself back onto her paws, careful not to put too much pressure on her injured leg, and turned to face her savior.
“Thank you,” said the girl, her voice still quivering from her earlier spell. “You’re very kind to have stopped for me. I… I’m sorry for how I must appear. I’m not usually like this.” A sniffle as she composed herself. “My name is Mara. Is there any way I can repay you for your kindness?”
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Post by Molo on Jan 8, 2022 16:40:28 GMT
--- all good! glad to have the opportunity to thread with you, too  Thankfully, the other did not refuse his aid, but even if she had snapped at him, the Knight wasn’t sure he would have let that drive him away. It was very much apparent, with a close-up examination of the situation now, that the distraught female would’ve had an incredibly tough time getting out of this, on her own. How or why she had managed to entangle herself in the mess was another question altogether, but not one that Hawk would dwell on, or ask. All that mattered was getting her out of it. There was one initial cry of pain, but otherwise, the woman remained silent. Though he loathed being the cause of any discomfort the female might experience, the ghost chose to work with more urgency than care - at least to the extent possible, surmising that the quicker he could help her get out of this, the less pain she’d ultimately be in. Tugging at and unwinding the vines that had ensnared the woman proved a tedious challenge, especially whilst taking care not to become trapped, himself. But.. considering he’d helped someone out of a similar situation before, it was easier, this time around. With a few more twists and tugs, the girl was free and moving quickly to right herself. Hawk stepped back and away, taking care to be sure he was free of the vines as well, before shifting his focus to the other. Gingery she stood, favoring her injured leg, but her first action beyond that was to turn and thank him, her voice sounding almost.. more unsteady than her stance upon the injured leg. The Knight presumed that shame and embarrassment were at the forefront of her mind as she continued, emotions he hoped to dispel with a gentle shake of his head. The other also provided a name, and then followed that up with an inquiry. ”Hawk, Vertok Knight. And, you’re most welcome, Mara. Accidents and misfortune fall upon all of us, there’s no shame in that. Not with me, anyway.” He wasn’t the sort to pass judgment on anyone lightly, and certainly not for something like this. ”In exchange, all I would ask is that you.. pay it forth, with a good deed of your own to someone else, someday.” When the opportunity presented itself, of course. There was nothing he could ever desire to gain for himself, from helping another, except for perhaps a friendship. |
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Post by kaz on Jan 18, 2022 9:20:38 GMT
Now standing here before the gentleman, Mara felt quite absurd. Her earlier mindset forgotten, the outburst seemed silly at best. When presented with reality in the form of another, Mara realized how childish she must have seemed. The cloud dissipated, vanished altogether when faced with actuality, and the embarrassment set in. She felt her skin warm; she would have blushed if nature had not blessed her with fur. It was as waking from a dream: one instant you could have sworn it was all real, the next it was so ridiculous you could not understand why you once believed it to be true.
“Hawk,” said the other, and until he continued Mara looked at him, puzzled, her mind still hazy in that hypnagogic way. “Vertok Knight.” The words made little sense to her but she understood at least that this must be an introduction. He was surely a pack wolf. For a moment she wondered if she had crossed into pack territory without realizing, but she doubted it based on his kindness. He — Hawk, as she assumed his name was — went on to say he was passing no judgement on her for her unsuitable appearance before, and for that she was thankful. ”In exchange, all I would ask is that you... pay it forth, with a good deed of your own to someone else, someday,” he continued. Mara looked at him curiously, still trying to collect herself.
“Well that’s very altruistic of you… Hawk,” said the girl, pausing a moment before speaking his name, being a bit unsure if it was truly his name or not. She looked down at the ground, sniffled once again, then glanced upward toward where the highlight of the moon was behind the clouds, feeling somewhat awkward and exposed. It didn’t help that this wolf reminded her so much of who she had left behind; so selfless and polite, with fur white as snow. Her eyes reluctantly landed back on the other after a moment’s silence. “A knight, you said?” she asked, her voice finally beginning to hold some of its usual life again, buoyant and playful. “Do you knights often end up saving damsels in distress like me?” She smiled. “I hope there are usually more exciting things going on for a man in your position.”
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Post by Molo on Jan 22, 2022 16:33:57 GMT
Alstruistic was one way to describe his actions, and it was in large measure, accurate. There was more to it than just that, though. ”So it may seem, but, I’m grateful to have been able to assist.” It was, the ghost believed, certainly one of the most fulfilling aspects of life. Being able to use any and all abilities to help or inspire others, with acts that at first glance seemed selfless, but actually provided him fulfillment, too. A sense of purpose, something Hawk thought all of their kind sought after in one form or another.
The stranger - Mara - posed another inquiry, her tone inquisitive, and also beginning to sound livelier as she went on. ”A Knight, that is correct, Miss Mara.” Hawk offered a humble smile and bow to go along with the verbal confirmation, taking the moment to recline, though he did not remove his gaze from the other.
”This.. is not the first time I’ve helped someone out of a situation like yours. The last one was.. almost identical,” the ghost admitted, hoping that might further ease any embarrassment the other felt, mirroring the smile that was offered. ”It certainly isn’t part of a typical day, though. But it is my desire and purpose to serve, no matter the task. For me.. even the smallest of things is fulfilling, if it helps someone else.”
It was not merely a belief, but a way of life that the ghost sought to follow to the best of his ability. ”Speaking of which, how does that leg feel? If it's.. bad, you’d be welcome to return to my home. We have healers that could attend to it, and you’d be welcome to stay as it recovers, if you like.” Certainly, his duty had not ended with simply helping Mara out of the initial situation, and the Knight was not sure he felt comfortable leaving the other just yet. The Vertok usually did not have an issue with loners doing exactly that, and if Mara did not feel up to the journey, he was sure they would forgive him for remaining out here with her, for a time.
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Post by kaz on Feb 13, 2022 18:11:06 GMT
on mobile, sorry for formatting issues
He was purely selfless, noble in his response. “…I’m grateful to have been able to assist.” Boring, came the thought in her head, unwarranted and unwelcome. He’s just so boring. She stifled the urge to shake her head at the thoughts, attempting to will them away silently. The resemblance between the two was uncanny; she felt suddenly transported to her former self, listening to Raj speak to her of duty and honor and all of those things she once thought so important, such pride in his voice. Standing there before him, trying to love him but being utterly unable to. The world around her blurred, the dark outlines of the trees in the dampened moonlight wavering, swimming. She felt woozy, overcome with a distinct sadness at her past choices.
But this was not Raj. And she was far from where she once called home.
Hawk’s voice helped ground her, yank her back into the present world. He told her about another situation much similar to the one she had found herself in where he had presumably followed up in a similar manner; Mara could imagine the Knight was this kind and selfless to everyone who crossed his path. She knew the type. He smiled at her before continuing: “Speaking of which, how does that leg feel?” In all honesty, she’d had so much trouble following what he was saying that she scarcely realized the question was directed at her. She blinked back at him as he told her of his pack and how they could help her, should she need it. Of course he took care to ensure she did not feel pressured to do so: “if you like,” he added. Perhaps if her night hadn’t already been so dreadful, she may have looked upon his friendly demeanor with gratitude and a polite smile. But it was becoming more and more difficult to do so, especially with how strongly the man reminded her of her previous… affairs. In fact, at his overwhelming kindness, she found herself becoming somewhat irritated which was not an emotion oft felt by the silver wolf. Still, she was a lady and knew to mind her manners.
“Oh, I’m sure that won’t be necessary,” said Mara with the most genuine smile she could muster. “It’s already feeling much better.” With an over exaggerated gesture, the woman stepped forward and put her weight on the injured leg, fully expecting no pain to come from it. But as she put pressure on it, her leg suddenly buckled beneath her and with a shriek she fell humiliatingly forward onto her chest, the breath whooshing out of her. With her maw pressed against the dirt and forearm twisted under and behind her, she looked up sheepishly at the male, tears glittering in her eyes that she forcefully blinked away. “Perhaps I should take you up on your offer…”
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Post by Molo on Mar 13, 2022 6:45:15 GMT
There was a definite, noticeable shift in Mara’s countenance, something he could not quite identify or read. And that was both puzzling and a little bit concerning. She hadn’t anything more to ask of him apparently, either. She did smile at him and definitively state that she did not believe any further assistance would be necessary and that the leg was feeling much better.
While a part of him hoped her words were true, Hawk found himself skeptical of the claim, having seen the effects this type of injury had on his friend. It was entirely possible, he thought, that Mara didn’t want him to feel obligated to help her further or to stick around, and was lying in an attempt to be polite. And, in a bid to demonstrate just how much better her limb was feeling, Mara stepped forth.
What followed was pretty much what he’d seen happen to Maxem, as well. Hawk winced as the other cried out and fell face-first into the dirt, her limb clearly not in any condition to support any weight. He recalled what Athena had said, that there was little which could be done for a twisted or sprained limb. Herbs could help with pain, but as with most things, only time and rest could truly cure it. Unfortunately, these were quite often two things wanderers did not have on their side.
With that in mind, the ghost had already determined he’d not be leaving the woman to chance or some horrific fate. And thankfully, that was something Mara seemed to realize as well. Tearfully, before she blinked them away, she twisted her head to look up at him.
”I’m not going to leave you, like this,” the ghost assured, stepping forth to nudge the other and to provide physical support, if she chose to try to stand again. ”The journey is a substantial one, but I’ll be here, the whole way. However..” he paused a moment, letting out a contemplative breath. ”If you’d rather not attempt that.. I can remain out here with you until you are better. My pack will understand, either way.” Maybe, offering up a different option would be more appealing, if embarrassment was a factor as it had been with Maxem. Even if he’d miss seeing his friends for a while, or regret not being there to do his job - this was important, and they’d understand. He did not doubt that for a moment.
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Post by kaz on Jun 6, 2022 1:59:16 GMT
oops been mia for 3 months lol It was embarrassing enough to have been found in the position she had been in, doubly so given her state of mind and lack of manners. Now to top it all off with her falling gracelessly onto herself — all dignity had left her at this point, and the woman could feel her face burning with humility. She supposed at this point she ought to give up on the idea of being elegant and poised; she was, after all, not the same woman who had left those snowy mountains many moons ago. Still naïve, to be sure, and unworldly to boot, but real change had taken place beneath her silver pelt. She had ventured out beyond the bounds of safety, had spoken to strangers, had traversed countless (well, it felt like countless) landscapes she’d never seen before. Mara said this all to herself, hoping to convince herself to be not embarrassed but proud of her journey, even if it led here. She tried, but still when one finds themselves faceplanting into the dirt, one tends to be quite self-conscious regardless of whether or not they are embarking on an unprecedented journey of self-discovery. Still, it brought her some solace, and when the male came to offer himself as support, Mara gratefully took it, feeling less shameful than before. “Substantial?” asked Mara, looking wide-eyed to the great mountains in the distance, so far-off they were barely visible in the night. Suddenly Mara felt very sure that this was an injury that would work itself out with time. The she-wolf looked over at Hawk, and with a small, grateful smile, moved to sit down on her own, careful not to place pressure on her hurt paw. “I think that an arduous journey may not be the best idea for me, right now,” said Mara slowly, still choosing her words carefully in a way that she hoped seemed polite and well-mannered. Old habits die hard. “But,” she added, a long pause following as she considered. “But maybe you could sit with me awhile? Perhaps this knight has some stories he’d like to share?” She smiled up at him. Some rest would surely help her injury, and though Hawk made her feel uncomfortable through no fault of his own — merely a coincidence that his genetics and disposition should remind her so much of her former partner — Mara had never met a knight before. She wondered what tales he had beneath his pelt. “In turn, I suppose I could offer you some stories of my own, though I doubt they would be even half as interesting as yours.”Molo
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Post by Molo on Sept 20, 2022 4:42:11 GMT
The other took the physical support he offered without comment, resting some of her weight against him. It seemed as well, that she once more grew skeptical of venturing all the way back to the mountains, where the Vertok pack resided. And for that, he couldn’t really blame her. His home was a barely visible silhouette in the darkness of the night sky, and he didn’t think he’d have wanted to traverse such a distance on a bad limb, either.
Rest was probably the best thing for her, now. Maybe he could wait a while, she requested. Certainly. I’d be glad to.” And then there was that bit about stories, how hers would likely not be half as interesting as his. ”You never know. Not every knight has exciting tales to tell, most of us are stuck with boring guard duties, or patrols.”
Nothing he’d done here, as a Knight was really worth telling, as that just about summed up his existence with the Vertok. Patrols, guarding. The occasional spat with a bear or something of the like, nothing out of the ordinary. But perhaps there were a couple of things, at least, he could share, from before he’d come here.
”There was this one time though, during my travels, where an isolated pack I met, thought I was some sort of.. holy deity,” Hawk offered up, trying to gauge Mara’s expression for any sort of interest. It was one of the few, and probably the best story he had. Also one of his darker memories, but it was something he could hopefully frame in an entertaining way for his company.
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